


Hidden in Plain Sight

by MarieBoheme



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dimitri Week (Fire Emblem), Dimitri Week 2019, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21874996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarieBoheme/pseuds/MarieBoheme
Summary: On the day of his coronation, while everyone’s attention was focused on the King as he patiently awaited his crown, the King was intently watching the Archbishop.Written for Day 5 of Dimitri Week 2019 - Celebration.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 16
Kudos: 184





	Hidden in Plain Sight

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday, Dimitri <3

It was tradition for the Archbishop of Fódlan to lead the coronation of every new monarch of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. Yet, when it came time for Dimitri to ascend the throne, the ceremony had needed to be delayed due to the ongoing war and Rhea’s unknown whereabouts.

But with Edelgard defeated and a unified Fódlan in grasp, today was finally the day. Noble and common visitors alike flocked to Garreg Mach and the surrounding town for the historic coronation, cramming themselves into the cathedral since early morning to bear witness to the significant moment. 

While everyone’s attention was focused on the King as he patiently awaited his crown, the King was intently watching the Archbishop.

More specifically, he was focused on the glint of the emerald of _his_ ring on her left hand reflected in the sunlight spewing into the cathedral from above. The one he had gifted her the night before, after agonizing for days over his decision to propose. Not about whether he wanted to spend his life with Byleth - that he had been certain of for months. But rather, whether or not she would feel the same way, and whether he could live with the rejection if she did not. 

Byleth was speaking, but he barely took in her words. He knew them already, having sat with her as she attempted to memorize them the night before in between gentle kisses and touches that had become bolder as the night dragged on and their curiosity about each other deepened. It had pained him to sneak out of her quarters before the night came to a close, but he agreed with her that the King spending the night with the Archbishop on the eve of his coronation would be too scandalous even by their relatively unorthodox standards.

News of their engagement could wait until the pomp and circumstance of it all had passed. For now, it would remain their secret. Which only added to the excitement of it all. He could not wait for the day’s events to be over, so he could have her to himself again.

As she continued her speech, Dimitri kept his eyes closed and his head facing downwards as was required of him, even though he wanted desperately to look at her face and openly admire her features. He couldn’t help but wonder if anyone had noticed the ring among the new clothing and jewelry that she had begrudgingly donned as part of her new role. 

As she reached the end of her proclamation, he felt the weight of the crowd upon his head. It was a moment which he had been imagining his whole life, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of Byleth’s hand stroking his cheek as she pulled away, gently and subtly enough that he would be the only one to notice. Her touch burned his skin. He was sure he would never tire of the sensation.

For the first time since the ceremony began, Dimitri locked eyes with her, attempting to channel his affection for her through his stare. To an onlooker, this could be easily interpreted as the reverence of a new monarch towards the head of the church, but he knew that she would understand the true meaning behind his gaze. The love of a man for his future wife.

Dimitri stood up, towering over the Archbishop. As they turned to face the crowd, Dimitri leaned in low enough so that only she could hear. “Thank you, beloved.”

Her smile, so genuine and radiant, absolutely melted him. 

* * *

The feast following the ceremony was the most joyful he had felt in years, perhaps close to a decade. Music and laughter permeated the dining hall, and the ready availability of spirits meant that many of the guests had begun dancing, some more sloppily than others. 

The levity of the festivities reminded Dimitri of the days following their successful siege of the imperial palace. Despite the losses and the hardship of that day, kingdom and church soldiers had bounded together in celebration of the apparent end of the conflict that had hung like a shadow over all of Fódlan for nearly six years.

Dimitri had spent the majority of the feast so far making obligatory small talk with the lords and officials who had made their way to the monastery to attend the coronation. Dedue was devotedly seated next to him at the head table, having refused to leave his side despite Dimitri’s urging to go and enjoy the celebration. The seat on his other side, meant for Gilbert, was currently vacated as his trusted advisor had disappeared to catch up with his brother. 

His gaze traveled reflexively to his friends and former classmates, happy to see them enjoying themselves and appearing lighter than they had in a long time. Ingrid and Ashe were huddled in a corner, most likely discussing one of their knights’ tales for which he knew they both had a fondness. Sylvain, who had been dancing with various women throughout the night, had somehow convinced Mercedes to join him for the current number. Felix and Annette were the furthest away from him, the former watching the redhead with an enamored look on his face that Dimitri knew better than to point out. He wondered if Felix had yet to realize his own feelings for the girl. 

Former classmates and teachers alike were scattered throughout the dining hall. It was almost as if they were back at the academy, if not for the bothersome weight of the crown upon his head. He could not wait for the opportunity to remove it once his duties for the day came to a close.

As his gaze traversed the crowd, he finally managed to locate that which had been preoccupying thoughts as of late. They hadn’t spoken in merely a few hours, but it already felt like too long.

Byleth’s time had similarly been taken up by nobles and officials who were taking advantage of her newness to the position to discuss their issues with the church. Thankfully Seteth remained glued to her side to prevent her from becoming overwhelmed and to keep any conversations from becoming too tense. 

Dimitri’s thoughts were violently interrupted when the chair beside him screeched as it jolted with the weight of a new inhabitant. He felt Dedue tense beside him momentarily before deciding that this new companion posed no threat. 

“Greetings, _Your Majesty_ ,” said Claude as he lifted his glass, filled to the brim almost comically with wine, in Dimitri’s direction. The King acquiesced, clinking glasses together with his former classmate. There was a short silence as they both took a sip, Claude's noticeably more sizeable. 

“I didn't realize you would be attending today, Claude,” Dimitri admitted. “Last we saw you, you had plans to go off towards Almyra.”

“And miss all my old classmates getting trashed together? Never.” As if to enunciate his point, they heard the sound of glass breaking from the side of the hall where Leonie and Raphael were engaged in what appeared to be a drinking contest. 

“Regardless, it's always good to see you.” Dimitri’s sentiment was genuine. One of his deepest regrets from during his time as a beast was having been on opposing sides with Claude during the battle at Gronder Field. He would never have forgiven himself if the former leader of the Alliance had fallen because of his steadfast focus on taking down Edelgard. They should have been allies in the war from the very start.

“Same here, you old sap. And it’s always a pleasure to see Teach as well.” Claude gestured towards Byleth, who was very politely listening to an older man who he vaguely recognized as Count Galatea. “Who would have thought when she first stepped foot here, all those years ago, that she would end up eventually taking Rhea’s place?”

“I don’t think anyone was more taken aback than she was by that decision, truth be told,” Dimitri replied. He still remembered the look of shock on her face when Rhea had informed her of her succession plans. 

Claude hummed in agreement, taking another swig of his drink. “I’m a bit surprised that she accepted the role at all. I mean, how is that even going to work?”

Dimitri turned to look at his former classmate, who was pointedly staring ahead at the crowd. There was a conspiratorial edge to this voice that unnerved him. “What do you mean?”

There was a gleam in Claude’s eye as he responded, his voice low. “Well, how is she going to split her time between here and Fhirdiad? Six months here and six months there? I can’t imagine the King will be very happy with his Queen being gone for such long stretches of time.”

Dimitri felt his stomach drop, and despite himself, his cheeks flushed. He felt Dedue stir uncomfortably beside him, most likely wondering how his liege would react. He felt like a child as his mouth opened to form a retort, just to quickly close again, unsure of what to say. 

Claude turned to look at him with a cocky grin. “Well, am I right?” 

Dimitri didn’t see a point in lying - there was no way he could hide this news convincingly. Not when he was already barely holding his excitement in as it was. “You’ve always been too observant for your own good. Don’t let it get to your head.”

Claude shrugged, placing his drink on the table in front of him as he raised his arms behind his head and leaned back so his chair was balancing on its hind legs. “If I may be frank, Your _Majesty_ , it wouldn’t take a genius to figure it out. Even Hilda made a comment about the way you both have been looking at each other, but unlike me, she didn’t notice that pretty new ring Teach has on her hand.”

“We were planning to make a formal announcement after the coronation," Dimitri explained. “After all, we require input from Seteth and my advisors on how to properly word things. The Archbishop marrying the King isn’t the most...conventional of pairings.” 

“Well, nothing about the last seven years has been conventional,” Claude countered. “All kidding aside, you both look happy. And you deserve it after what you’ve gone through. So don’t expect any resistance from me.” 

Dimitri couldn’t help but feel touched. “I appreciate that, Claude. I hope that we’ll be able to work together again soon, whatever role you find yourself in either in or out of Fódlan.”

Claude nodded. “Likewise. Now, why don’t you try and enjoy yourself a bit? This is your celebration after all.” His eyes settled on something in the distance. “I see a woman in need of rescuing. And if you don’t ask her to dance soon, I will.” With a wink, he pushed himself off his chair, taking his drink with him. 

Dimitri chuckled as he watched his former classmate and friend walk away before his attention settled once again on Byleth. She did, in fact, look exasperated, Count Galatea still prattling on about something or the other. Worse yet, Seteth seemed to have disappeared from her side, most likely to look for Flayn. 

Dimitri moved his chair back, and Dedue sprang to attention. “Easy, my friend. I insist you stay here and finish your drink. I have something I need to take care of.” 

It took him longer to reach her than he would have liked, having to accept the pleasantries of everyone he passed, shaking off any attempts at a more prolonged conversation with a promise to get to their queries after the feast. When he finally reached her side, he gently touched her elbow and she stiffened for a moment before realizing who it was. She smiled at him, and Dimitri felt his heartbeat accelerate at the simple gesture. 

He bowed slightly to her chatty companion. “If you don’t mind, Count Galatea, I have some matters I wish to discuss with the Archbishop.” 

The older man bowed deeply in response. “Of course, Your Majesty.” He turned to face Byleth. “It was a pleasure to speak with you, Your Grace. I hope we can continue our conversation later.” 

Her smile was forced as she responded. “Gladly. I look forward to it.”

There was relief clearly etched on her face as the portly man made his way across the crowd, most likely to find his daughter. Dimitri couldn't help but stare transfixed at her - there was a time, not that long ago, when he remembered her face always being like an empty canvas, blank of any emotion. Something he expected she had learned from her time as a mercenary. But now, it wasn’t uncommon for him to witness a wide range of emotions on her features. It was mesmerizing, and especially dizzying when they were intended for him. 

“What it is it that you wish to discuss with me, _Your Majesty_?” Byleth asked him, a teasing edge to her voice. Although the sound of his title coming from others always irked him, there was something incredibly exciting, almost erotic, about hearing it from her lips. He tried not to let his enjoyment of it show on his face. 

Instead, he extended a hand to her, bowing slightly as he did so. “It has come to my attention that neither of us has had time to properly enjoy the music tonight with a dance. I was hoping we can remedy that together.” 

The corners of her mouth twitched as she took ahold of his hand, her warmth flowing through him to his toes. “As the King wishes.”

The crowd separated as they made their way to the center of their room. He noticed a handful of his friends and classmates shooting them curious looks as they began to move together, but he paid them no mind. As he concentrated on leading their dance, he basked in the closeness of her as they clasped hands and his other arm settled on the small of her back.

Byleth seemed to be similarly focused on him as they moved around the room, her free hand gripping his shoulder tightly. A gentle smile illuminated her features as they locked eyes, radiating tenderness and affection that he still couldn’t quite believe was meant for him. Goddess, she was beautiful.

“I have a confession,” he said after a while, permeating the silence. 

The corners of her lips twitched. “Is that so?”

“Do you remember the ball? All those years ago, back at the academy?” 

Byleth hadn’t been quite expecting that question, but she humored him. “Of course. I remember feeling so uncomfortable that I took the first excuse I needed to leave the room. And then a handsome young man followed me outside and led me to the Goddess Tower, where he claimed he wished to spend forever with me.”

Dimitri felt his cheeks heat up at her teasing. He’d beat himself up over that comment for days afterward, not being able to look her in the eye. What a foolish boy he had been back then. To think that he was somehow now engaged to her...he couldn’t fathom what he had done to deserve such a fate. “Not my finest moment, I must admit.”

“I thought it was adorable at the time,” she cooed, somehow intent on embarrassing him even further. “But what is it you wish to confess?”

Dimitri looked away for a moment as he collected his thoughts. “During the entire ball, all I could think about was figuring out a way to ask you to dance with me. I’d almost gathered the courage when I saw you slip out of the room and I followed you before I lost my nerve. By the time we reached the tower, I was a bumbling, nervous fool.”

Byleth hummed. “How far you’ve come since.”

Dimitri stroked her thumb with his, gripping her back a little tighter. He wished it could just be the two of them, so he could display his affection more openly. “You will always make me feel like a nervous fool, beloved.”

She smiled again at him but said nothing. They continued their dance in silence, Dimitri using all of his self-control to resist drawing her in closer. The longer the festivities drew on, the more frustrated he became at having to maintain a respectable distance between their bodies, at not being able to touch or kiss her.

Byleth seemed to read his mind. “Soon, Your Majesty. I expect our guests have consumed enough wine that many will be taking their reprieve soon.” Her eyes were gleaming as she stared mischievously at him. “After which, I have some important matters I wish to discuss with you in my quarters. They will most likely take us all night; I expect you’ll be quite worn out once I’m done with you.“

 _Goddess_ , this woman would be the death of him. But he wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my joint piece for Day 5 of Dimitri Week and for Dimitri's birthday. Even though this is supposed to be one-shot, I'm super tempted to do a more explicit follow-up but we'll see ;). Thanks for reading!


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